Steeple goes on the market

One of Stirling’s most familiar buildings faces an uncertain future.

Stirling Council is bidding to find new tenants for The Steeple in King Street, but might sell the 198-year-old property if they get the right offer.

The
Grade A listed building has 2349 square feet of office space. Part of it was leased to Addictions Support and Counselling, Stirling, a group that helps people affected by drink and drug habits.

However,
it is understood that the building, also known as The Athenaeum, will be ready to move into by October. It was advertised in last week’s Observer by owner Stirling Council under Properties To Let. The advert describes the accommodation as ‘city centre offices’ and states ‘for let/may sell’.

The Steeple was designed by William Stirling, of Dunblane, in 1816-17 and was built on the site of a meal market. It was originally a library and meeting house. The impressive porch was added in 1859 by a gentleman’s club and its frontage features a statue of William Wallace.

Seed
merchant Peter Drummond commissioned the statue, but it was disliked by
locals and ended up in his garden. It was later re-sited in the middle of King Street but proved to be a traffic hazard and was moved to its current place of prominence.

The
Steeple was included in Scotland’s Building At Risk Register which is maintained by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland on behalf of Historic Scotland. The building was last assessed for the register in September, 2012, Its condition was considered ‘good’ and the risk ‘low’. The register also points out that the two ground-floor retail units were not at risk.

Mercat
Cross and City Centre Community Council chairman David Black was unaware that the historic building was on the market but added: “Any future use would have to be appropriate.”

Stirling
Civic Trust secretary Jack Sutherland said they would be contacting the
council to find out more. “ We would be concerned if it did come up for
sale,” he said. “It is such a central part of Stirling’s heritage. We would want to see plans to maintain the building.”